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Royal Chair (Asipim)

A work made of wood, brass, and leather.

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  • A work made of wood, brass, and leather.

Date:

Late 19th/early 20th century

Artist:

Asante
Ghana
Coastal West Africa

About this artwork

Within Asante society, asipim chairs signal the power and prestige of chiefs, who have the unique right to use them. The asipim’s low profile reflects the Asante preference for stools as seats of honor, while its shape and the decorative use of brass tacks, knobs, and finials document the assimilation of European forms and materials in the 18th and 19th centuries. The finely delineated motifs pressed into the brass covering the back of this chair refer to the owner’s status.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Asante

Title

Royal Chair (Asipim)

Place

Ghana (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1875–1925

Medium

Wood, brass, and leather

Dimensions

66.3 × 37.4 × 47 cm (26 1/8 × 14 3/4 × 18 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Marshall Field

Reference Number

1998.158

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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